Cellular communication has brought about a wealth of devices suitable for use in vehicles. With the recently emerging use of cars as mobile offices and communication nodes, there has been a measurable increase in auto accidents caused by the diversion of the driver""s attention while using the communication device. Prior art technologies have provided methods used for disabling communication devices in response to a number of specific vehicle conditions. For example, in the event a vehicle""s velocity or acceleration exceeds a predetermined threshold, a controller suspends the reception or transmission of signals by the communication device. In other methods, a rapid change in the direction of travel triggers the suspension of signals to or from the communication device. These methods utilize acceleration and speed detection by sensors in the vehicle, rapid direction change detection, and acute angle vehicle changes to predict that a driver is in a relatively higher risk of being placed in an unsafe driving condition by being distracted by a wireless communication. However, these techniques do not account for a variety of other unsafe conditions or only generally relate to actual vehicle driving conditions. Further, these techniques do not account for local or regional controls which are put into place through legislation, or the like, regarding usage of communication devices in vehicles.
For example, some driving conditions not detectable by vehicle motion sensors include weather conditions, the time of day, the available light, traffic density, vehicle traction, presence of designated xe2x80x9crestricted use corridorsxe2x80x9d, authorized safety personnel and so on.
It would be desirable to have an improved system for accurately detecting unsafe driving conditions and preventing use of a communication device when unsafe conditions are determined to be present.
The invention relates to the use of wireless communication devices in moving vehicles. In particular, the invention relates to a system and method of stopping use of communication devices in moving vehicles when unsafe conditions are present.
A method for controlling use of a communication device in a vehicle is provided. The method includes setting the communication device to an enabled state at startup of the vehicle. Internal risk values are monitored that are calculated from internal information associated with at least one internal vehicle sensor. External risk values are monitored that are calculated from external information associated with at least one external information source. The internal and external risk values are compared to a predetermined risk threshold. The communication device is disabled when any of the internal and external risk values exceeds the predetermined risk threshold.
Another embodiment of the present invention contemplates computer readable code and/or hardware to execute these steps as set forth in the above paragraph.
In alternate embodiments, the communication device is disabled when any single risk value exceeds the predetermined threshold or any combination of the internal and/or external risk values exceeds the predetermined threshold.
The internal sensors can provide internal information from a headlight system, a wiper system, a traction-control system, an ABS, a vehicle proximity system, a speedometer, an accelerometer, and a position of the communication device. The external information can include weather information, GPS information, safety information, corridor information, and time information. The corridor information may include any combination of external information and may include time and location.
In another embodiment, the communication device can include an override switch that manually enables the communication device to be enabled regardless of driving conditions.
In another embodiment, the method for controlling use of a communication device in a restricted use corridor includes determining a current location of the vehicle, determining whether the current location of the vehicle falls within the corridor and disabling the communication device when it is determined that the current location of the vehicle falls within the corridor.
In yet another embodiment, the method for controlling use of a communication device in a restricted use corridor includes determining a current time of day, determining whether the current time of day falls within a restricted use time period of the corridor and disabling the communication device when it is determined that the current location falls within the corridor and the current time falls within the restricted use time period of the corridor.
Another embodiment of the present invention contemplates limiting the time of use of the communication device to a predetermined time period.
Another embodiment of the present invention includes a method for controlling use of a communication device in a vehicle including setting the communication device to an enabled state at startup of the vehicle. A current time and location of the vehicle is determined. Internal risk values are monitored that are calculated from internal information associated with at least one internal vehicle sensor. External risk values are monitored that are calculated from external information associated with at least one external information source. The current time, location, and internal and external risk values are transmitted to a controller. A corridor query is performed to obtain a corridor risk threshold. The internal and external risk values are compared to the corridor risk threshold. The communication device is disabled when any of the internal and external risk values exceeds the corridor risk threshold.
Another embodiment of the invention contemplates computer readable code and/or hardware to execute the steps of controlling use of a communication device in a vehicle as set forth in the above paragraph.
The present invention provides a system for controlling use of a communication device in a vehicle including a plurality of internal vehicle sensors, the vehicle sensors adapted to provide internal information. A receiver is adapted to receive external information from an external source and a controller is adapted to receive the internal information and the external information. The controller is adapted to assign a risk value to each of the internal and external information and compare the assigned risk values to a predetermined risk threshold and is further adapted to disable the communication device when any of the risk values exceeds the predetermined risk threshold.
In another embodiment of the present system the internal information includes information from at least one of the vehicle headlights, wipers, traction control system, ABS, proximity system, speedometer, clock and accelerometer. The external information includes at least one of position, road condition, weather, safety and corridor information.
The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein like reference numbers represent like parts of the invention.